Photographic-plate rack



G. l. MACDOWELL.

PHOTOGHAPHIC PLATE RACK.

APPLlcAlou man ocT.6.19|9.

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PHOTOGRAPHIC PLATE RACK.

APPLICATION FILED ocr. 6, I9I9.

V1,349,972. Patented Aug. 17, 1920.

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A El @Fn 4 o s I y s 1 s yIl UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GLENN J. MACDOWELL, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO BURKE & JAMES, INC., 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

PHOTOGRAPHIC-PLATE RACK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Iatented Aug. 17, 1920.

To all /wlwm t may concern:

Be it known that I, GLENN J. MAC- DowELL, a citizen of the United States, residin at Chicago, in the county of Cook and i tate of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Photographic-Plate Racks; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to makeand use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in plate racks for photographic plates and has for its object to provide a rack which is adapted to contain plates for immersion in developing tanks and which is adjustable to receive plates of various sizes.

The particular object of the present invention is to provide a rack of this char` acter which, when loaded, confines the plates therein against movement relatively thereto to any appreciable extent and against escape therefrom.

A further object of the invention is to provide a plate rack of the character defined which is incapable of immersion into a tank adapted and intended therefor before the plates are locked against removal therefrom.

A still further object of the invention is to provide simple and efficient means for adjusting the rack to receive plates of various sizes.

The invention consists in the features of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter fully described and particularly claimed.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating a suitable embodiment of the invention:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a plate rack constructed in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section of the same on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary detail horizontal section of the same on the line 3 3 ofFiig. 2.

F ig. 4 is a perspective View of the rack showing one of the gates thereof 1n its open position.

Figs. 5 and 6 are respectively plan sections on lthe lines 5 5 and 6 6 of Fig. 2, Fig. 5 showing one of the gates in its open position.

The device comprises a perforated bottom plate or wall l which is provided with a plurality of parallel upwardly extending ribs 2 between which guideways or grooves 3 are formed in which the edges of airs of opposed plates are adapted to be received. There are six of said grooves each of a width sufficient to receive a pair of said plates and additional spaces are provided between the outer ribs and the side flanges 4 of the bottom plate which merely tends .to separate or space the plates from the extreme side edges or walls of the rack and of the tank in which the same is adapted to be immersed to provide free passage for liquids. V

The top wall 5 consists of a perforated plate 5 having side flanges 6 to stiffen the same. Secured to the ends of the top and bottom wallsl are the end walls 7 and 8, each of which consists of a rectangular plate having side flanges 9 and end flanges l0, the latter overlapping the outer faces of the top and bottom walls and the former overlapping the side flanges thereof. Said end walls may be soldered. or otherwise suitably secured to the top and bottom walls as will be obvious. The said end walls at opposite sides of the device are exactly alike except as hereinafter noted and each thereof is provided with three parallel slots 11, 12 and 13, the latter being spaced from one of the side flanges 9 a distance substantially equal to the width of said slot and the width of the wall separating the same from the slot 12 which in turn is equal in width to the wall separating the slot 12 from the slot 11 and separating the slot 11 from the gpposite side flange 9 of said end wall. tach of said slots 11.l 12 and 13 is substantially equal. in width to one of the guide grooves 3 in the bottom wall or plate and said slots register with alternate grooves 3 whereas the walls separating the slots 11 and 12 and 12 and 13 register with the intervening grooves As the said end walls become opposed to each other at opposite ends of the top and bottom walls. the Slots .11, 12 and 13 in one of said end'walls become disposed in staggered relation to the similar slots in the other thereof, thereby permitting three pairs of photographic plates to be inserted into the rack through the slots 11, 12 and 13 in one of said end walls and the other three pairs thereof through similar slots in the other of said grooves, the said slots in opposed walls bein disposed in staggered relation to each oter and registering with alternate pairs of opposed guide grooves, and a gate associated with each of said transverse plates for obstructing the slots to prevent passage of plates therethrough.

3. A photographic plate rack adapted for immersion in a developing tank or the like comprising a rectangular structure having a bottom wall and an opposed member provided With opposed pairs of guide grooves for engaging opposite edges of plates, a pair of opposed end Walls rigidly secured to the `ends of the bottom Wall and provided with slots through which plates are adapted to be inserted into said guide grooves, the slots in one of said end walls being disposed in staggered relation to the slots in the other and registering with alternate guide grooves.

4. A photographic plate rack adapted for immersion in a developing tank or the like comprising a rectangular structure having a bottom wall and an opposed member provided With opposed pairs of guide grooves for engaging opposite edges of plates, a pair of opposed end Walls rigidly secured to the ends of the bottom wall and provided with slots through which plates are adapted to be inserted into said guide grooves, the slots in one of said end walls being disposed in staggered relation to the slots in the other and registering with alternate guide grooves and a gate associated with each of said end Walls for obstructing the slots therein.

5. AY photographic plate rack adapted for immersion in a developing tank or the like comprising a rectangular structure having a bottom Wall and an opposed member provided with opposed pairs of guide grooves for engaging opposite edges of plates, a pair of opposed end Walls rigidly secured to the ends of the bottom Wall and provided with slots through which plates are adapted to be inserted into said gulde grooves, the slots in one of said end walls being disposed in staggered relation to the slots in the other and registering with alternate guide grooves and means associated with the end Walls and said bottom Wall and the opposed member for varying the separation thereof from the bottom Wall for accommodating plates of different sizes.

G. A photographic plate rack adapted for immersion in a developing tank or the like comprising a rectangular structure having a bottom Wall and an opposed member provided With opposed palrs of guide grooves for engaging opposite end walls of plates, said bottom wall and opposed member adjustable relatively to each other to vary their separation to accommodate plates of different sizes, a pair of opposed end Walls rigidly secured to the ends of the bottom Wall and provided with slots through which plates are adapted to be inserted into said guide grooves, the slots in one of said end walls being disposed in staggered relation to the slots in the other and registering with alternate guide grooves.

GLENN J. MACDOWELL. 

